Balmoral Hall School - Optima Anni Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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l2 to eliminate everything on the bureau 'top which I did not need. For several minutes I put forth a great industrious effort, Very quickly fand with great perception, I thoughtj I decided that this was not eliminating anything. At 'chat moment, the most wonderful idea oc- curred to me. Beside my bed was a sm-all table. On the bottom shelf I neatly stacked my books. Then fwith great manipulation, I thoughtj I dexterously arranged the bottles and jars -in a very small space. In succession I piled photo- graphs, paper cups, cutlery, hair pins, pencils, 'lip- stic , stamps, Qbreathe Iherej several -small boxes, scissors, javex, soap, powder, nail polish, and one cuff link on to the suffering shelf . W'ha't now con- fronted 'my eyes for anyone who enteredj was the ideal bureau top, indeed a stunning effect and carefully placed in parallel formation, a brush and comb. Certainly my goal was reached I thought, as I draped myself wearily over my -bed. A whole morn- ing to achieve that most admirable accomplish- ment! I jumped to -my feet as I -heard footsteps sto at our door. As I stood at the end of my bed? I tried to don that air of nonchalance, resent- ing my self-conscious 'blush of pride and achieve- ment. A head peered around the door and imme- diately pointed at the table. My, wha't an untidy room, Brenda, you really must do something about the bottom shelf of that table. -These are the times that try a man's soul.- B. Dougall, Grade X. 1s The River The river, Alone, rushing on into the night, Like quicksilver, A torrentg a flight Of grey birds headed homewards In startled fright. The river, Scarlet, sweeping into the rising sun. Not a quiver, Sound? Only one Of low peaceful murmur, After the run. Christine Waltkins. Grade XI. It is good for young people to explore the infinite possibilities of rhyme. In this poem rhyme has been carefully handled and there is also a true feeling for rhythm. Visitors Pioneers? Yes, my dears, my grandmother went on, suppose you would call us one of the first families in this part of the country. What a change has taken place since 'the birth of this prov- ince! Now, what are rippling fields of wheat were nothing but bald 'prairies and forbidding forests. I can remember how odd it seemed no't living in our old 'house -and not having neighbours dropping in to borrow la little sugar, or a spot of tea. I never realized what loneliness mother and 'father must have felt away from all of their friends in Scotland. To me, a seven year old, this new land, Canada, was a place where 'I 'could find new adven- tures and live the ones about which I rhad read. I shall never forget one particular day, We had been over from Scotland jus't two months. It was in the middle of August, the weather had 'been warm and dry, and mother and father had decided to go to the 'trading pos't to buy the monthly supply of food. There were no fancy cars in those days, and travel by Red River Ox Cart was pretty slow and rough. The trip was seven long miles so mother and father were ready to leave about seven o'clock. Before 'kissing us al'l good-'bye mother 'told us that we were to stay together an-d n-ot to go 'far from the house. Bar- bara, my oldest sister, assured 'her that she would take care of us and would see that we behaved ourselves. After watching the cart disappear into the woods we entered the house and each turned to her daily chores. By twelve-thirty we had finished all the odd jobs that Barbara -could find for us to do in the house. Father had been busy during the warm weather chopping wood and getting our winter's supply of fuel ready. Although we had very little space cleared around 'the house, mother always liked to keep it as neat and 'tidy as possible. W'h'ile Barbara finished the mending, Ann, Won- netta and I were appointed to go outside and clean up the yard. I 'took a basket and ran to my favour- ite place+the wood pile. There I 'busied myself picking up all the little chips t-hat I knew Mommie would love for starting the 'morn-ing fires, Now, this wood pile was behind the house, just at the edge of the woods. I was quite enjoying myself making my way around the mound and picking up every little 'twig and piece of bark when I 'hap- pened to look up and saw what I thought was an animal, perched in the branch of a tree. As I'have said, we had been in Canada for only two months, and anything out of the ordinary did not frighten or startle me. I moved toward that mu'lti-coloured creature and was about to call it when Wonetta shouted. 'Lizzy, will you come and 'help -me carry in Daddy's tool b0x?'

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LJ! She climbed higher and higher into the clouds and it grew colder and colder. The world about her became strange and unreal. It's like diving to the bottom of the sea, s'he thought. There were now only a 'few trees-all -of them frozen into weird, tortured shapes 'by the lashing northern wind. Barren white spaces curved away into no- thingness. No comforting green or brown could be seen, all was 'icy grey and white- deathlike, she thought and shuddered. An ominous creaking came from the fog ahead of her. It was the huge iron wheel at the top of the tow and soon s'he was dismounting under its groans and clanks. She pulled down her goggles with their lemon coloured 'lenses and pushed off, choosing 'a back trail in preference to the treacher- ous mountain face. She paused for a moment at the 'bottom of the first run on a sheltered s'houlder of the mountain. The place always gave her an eerie feeling of being watched. Towering white forms encircled her and though she could feel no wind, they seemed to nod and move, They reminded her of white-robed Druids gathered for some mystic rite. The 'whoosh of snow falling from a branch startled her and like a frightened deer, she swept off down the trail. Soon she dipped into a natural bowl off the side of the main hill and was joined momentarily by other skiers. She ilet them take the lead and 'followed -after, weaving, winding, springing, gripping her steel edges into -the slope. A white shower was sprayed up as she skidded and swerved tracing her lines like unravelled wool in the powdered snow, The wind stung her cheeks, her ski slacks ripped against her legs and she was filled with warmth and exhilaration. Leav- ing the others, she came out onto the packed snow of the main hill. Her speed increased. Darting baick and forth, she dropped do-wn the mountain si e. Far below, a sinister, black stump lay as if in wait across her path. She swooped down, nearer and nearer to it. Too late, she saw the dark blur, heard the screech of steel on wood, and felt the wrenching jerk which 'threw her headlong into space. Then she was on her back 'sliding-almost falling, down, down, the bottomless slope. Trees and grey sky were spinning over her. For endless seconds she was helpless under the pull of gravity. At last it released her. She lay still and waited . . Mary-Kaye Simpkinson, Grade XII. Senior Literary Competition Prize Story Very prornising work! The prose has a pleasing rhythm in keeping with the story. There is a feeling for words and an avoidance of any unnatural or strained description. Wisps of Mist Wisps of mist, Like a ghosts, Do a slow minuet, While the frogs Chorus. A fish leaps And falls, Leaving ripples In the Stillness. Near by, the Mosquitos croon. A wee beast Rustles In the grass. Then, the Shriek of a Coyote Shatters The calm. To know A night Like this, Is to know Him. Lyn Stephen, Grade X. Senior Literary C om petition Prize Poem A pleasing eiect has been secured by an interesting p ment in free verse. A Bureau - For What? I was told that something had to be done about it. To be frank, I was hurt at first, but then I re- considered. Finally, I concluded that they did not understand, but I would have to humour them. If this seems incoherent and vague to you, I will explain. Do you see, over in the corner of our room, that sagging structure overflowing with everything imaginable? The mirror hidden with pictures and clippings? That is my worldg my home away from home, my bureau. It does -look homelike, doesnt it? Of course, it is necessary to tiptoe past so the books on the outer edges will not crash off, but my room-mates are trained. True also, that if you lean against it, the mirror swings forward, loosing a gentle hail of pictures on your head. The latter position also presents an ideal view from your waist down, however, I have broken myself of this habit. Now I come to my ultimatum: I must do some- thing a'bout my bureau. Do, I say 'to myself not a li-ttle wonderingly. The best way, I decided, was

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m My V gg I3 'Oh, all right, I'll be right therel' With that I turned to my friend and said, 'Now don't go away. I'll be back soon.' I scam-pered off to 'help my sister and when we were al'1 in the house I gathered -my sisters together and -told 'them about my discovery. Bar- bara was very inquisitive and wanted me 'to de- scribe it. When I told 'her it had big 'black eyes and streaks of red, yellow, blue and white covering its brown skin, s'he turned very pale, rose from her chair, and walked over to the window. I did not know what was wrong wi'th her, 'but when she screamed, ran to the door and locked it, and then ran back to us, I was quite excited and wanted to know what had happened. She hurried us into Mo-mmie's 'bedroom where she whispered some- thing to Anne and then ran out shutting the door behind her. Wonnetta and I were very anxious to End out what had caused Barbara's frenzy, and finally discovered that Indians were outside. I re- member that I hardly knew the meaning of the word, but Wonnetta told me that they were cruel, cruel men who lived in Canada. The -thought that my little pet had turned out to be an Indian was too much for me to bear, and I 'burst into tears. Barbara soon returned and in a very consoling tone said, 'We must all be very brave girls and do just what Mommie and Daddy would want us to do. Now, everyone kneel down and pray just as hard as you can.' While we were in that position Barbara must have slipped out of the room, for in 'a few minutes we heard a great commotion out in the kitchen. I peeped through a crack in the wall and saw a number of -my friends walking around grabbing everything they saw. W'hen the house was prac- tically devoid of articles, they left. When Mommie and Daddy came home that nigh-t we burst forth with the story of our vis- itors. There were a great many questions asked and answered, but my one question . . . 'But, Mommie, why did Barby 'let them take all our nice things and all our good food?' was never answered. The only response I received was a big hug followed by kisses and sobs l Grandmothers story had answered my question. Pioneers! Indeed, they were. Diana Duncan, Grade XII. A well-written story with an ably handled beginning and ending. The style is pleasantly free and natural. Sunshine Sketches of Balmoral Hall QProof that, despite sub-zero temperatures, the sun DOES shinej. The sun shines bright in your old Kentucky home In Peru, St. P-ierrot, Napoli- There life is warm and life is cheery- But where you are it's only dreary- but once when I was doing the requisites of doing a wee one said, Are you and Diana sis- ters? Someone overhearing 'sneered- 'Cou1se! They are twins, aren't they? Yes, said -the little one, I know they are twins 'bu't I wasn't sure if they were sisters. Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and the rest Delight Einsteins and Leeuwenhoeks and the com-pany so blest. But we who-se minds cannot conceive The mystery of geometry Find little use for buoyant force And why light halts before a horse - but once, when my classmate had completed a form-perfect, back extension roll sur la boite and had picked herse-lf up off her head, she ex- claimed with 'the enthusiasm of Bell when he heard his wires talk, By jove, I saw them-I saw colloi- dal particles. Cosmeticians do exclaim- Funny, shiny nose!- Put on some powder, there, my dear, As lovely as a rose F but once I remember when powder caused a -ludiocrocy . The alarm bell from the pit sound ed. Jack, the only son, was in the first cage down. A horrified, crushed mother performs her dramatic start, but the powder from 'her grayed hair steals the show. Steins blending powder, atomic-explo sion fashion, rises regally above the stricken mother. People who know Cannot name The family which Perfection can claim- but I know a girl who thinks hers is the perfect family. I have 2 parents, she said, 2 sisters and 2 brothers . And so, m'loves The sun, she shines At here, as well as there. The question is-and answer true- Do you, and you, and you, and you? Dawna Duncan, Grade XII.